Empire WatchAnalysis of current world affairs with focus on gloabal struggle for social and economic justice and against racism, war, imperialism and oppression much of it brought on by US Empire and its allies

Protests Break out Nationally in Reaction to Grand Jury Decision in Ferguson

A post on a friend’s FB wall displayed a quote from Pete Dominick saying: “If you’re more outraged at poor black folks in Missouri looting stores than you are at rich whites on Wall Street looting your future, you’ve been duped.” I’d add that if you’re a “news reporter” on MSNBC or CNN or other pro-Wall Street corporate networks, more concerned about riots taking place across the country in reaction to the Grand Jury decision not to indict the killer cop Darren Wilson than you are about Justice or about cops shooting and killing unarmed black teenagers and going free, then you’re an unprincipled corporate hired hand selling yourself to your corporate bosses who use your mouth in return for the high pay you receive. So, please, cut the BS about you being a “journalist”. You know what you are.

In 1992, in reaction to the acquittal of the police officers who kept beating Rodney King, while he was lying down motionless, Los Angeles exploded in a riot the likes of which had not been seen in decades. During those riots, too, poor black folks looted stores, some taking home baby diapers and other household items they had a hard time buying. Those who could afford not to worry about baby diapers, did a more effective thing: they burned down over 3,000 buildings and destroyed or damaged hundreds of businesses.

It was that riot and the fear it put in corporate bosses that brought about the so called “reforms” in the LAPD. Conclusion: no riots, no change. But, obviously, the “reforms” were grossly inadequate and ended up to be like the “change” Obama promised to people. Yesterday in Chicago, Obama criticized and admonished the protesters for their “violent” protests and instead advocated voting to bring about change. Of course, When it comes to selling oneself to corporate bosses, Obama sets the standard. But, such comments and statements, especially by a black servant of the corporate Empire and imperialism, are not uttered at random. They’re the calculated words of large capital, trying to channel people’s outrage and energy towards a sham that does nothing for people. It never has and never will: not for abolishing slavery, not for women’s right to vote, not for voting rights for blacks, not for ending the war in Vietnam or any other change that has been implemented. They all took riots and large protracted protests on the streets to achieve.

So let’s be clear: the reason the LAPD “reforms” were superficial and inadequate after the 1992 riots was that only 3,000 buildings were burnt to the ground.

Paraphrasing the quote above, if you’re more concerned about riots than police shootings, you’ve been duped.